I’ll be honest — I go a little overboard for the Nutcracker every December. It’s one of those pieces of music that just sounds like the holidays to me, and over the years I’ve built up a whole collection of Nutcracker activities I love sharing with families. So consider this your list, straight from my “favorites” folder to yours. Here are the five I come back to every single year.
The 3-Day Nutcracker Camp (my most popular freebie, by far)
This one’s for ages 4-10, and it’s truly my most-requested resource all year, not just at Christmas. Over three days, kids explore Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet through instruments, rhythm, and movement — nothing fancy required, just what you probably already have at home. And the link never expires, so grab it now and use it whenever works for your family (even if that’s the week after Christmas when everyone’s still in pajamas).
Nutcracker Podcast Episodes, for the Car or the Kitchen
If you’re looking for something to play while you’re driving to co-op or making dinner, I’ve got two episodes for you. Episode 9 walks through the story of the ballet in a simple, friendly way — perfect if your kids have never heard it before. And Episode 85, “A Jazzy Nutcracker,” takes the familiar melodies and reimagines them through the lens of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. (I love introducing kids to the idea that one piece of music can wear a lot of different outfits.)
Piano Tutorials for Your Budding Pianists
For members of Busy Kids Do Piano, I’ve put together two late-elementary tutorials for Nutcracker classics — the sheet music is exclusive to members, but the tutorials themselves will help any student work through these pieces:
Both are favorites in our house, and I think your kids will love them too.
Let the Music Fill Your Home
Honestly, one of the simplest Nutcracker activities is just playing the music — in the car, in the kitchen, wherever. The more familiar the melodies become, the more your kids will light up when they recognize them somewhere else (a commercial, a movie, another kid playing it on piano). It’s a small thing that adds up to a real holiday memory.
A Note to the Parents Reading This
Winter break has a way of feeling longer than it actually is (anyone else?). If you need a few windows of calm — something to hand your kids that’s both meaningful and easy — let these freebies be that for you this year.
Wishing you a season full of laughter, love, and a few good Nutcracker melodies stuck in your head.
Thanks for being here.
Carly
